I am looking for a light source for scanning C41 4x5. I know I can take the faceplate off a Cinestill light (did it to the V1) and it’ll fit but is a bit tight. Not sure if the v2 is worth the upgrade for color films this big, or if I should get another light source altogether. I would like to spend less than the Negative Supply Company one if possible, but I would get one used if I need to.
Have you been successfully scanning colour negative on smaller formats with your CS-Lite v1? If so maybe it’s worth sticking with it but combining 3 exposures which will give you much better resolution from 4x5. The CS- Lite will be plenty big enough for those (roughly) 96 x 64 mm frames.
Ok yeah that could work too. I would just have to figure out a way to properly do that with a negative holder not sitting directly on the light source. I have converted some color photos, but not nearly as much as black and white or the light source doesn’t matter as much.
OK, so you haven’t invested too much time so a different light source would work. By chance I’ve just bought a Raleno PLV-S116 panel which arrived today. The illuminated area is 170 x 105 mm which would be enough though you’d want to raise the film above the panel a bit. I also have a Raleno PLV-S192 panel which is 242 x 164 mm. That’s probably a better bet as you’d mask it down but the illumination in the centre is liable to be more even than when you are using practically the whole area. Both these have a good reputation I think, quoted 95+ CRI if you can trust that.
The CS-Lite, both types, is good because they are controlled from the buttons on the cable which I prefer (there is no built in battery of course). On the other hand both the Ralenos are sold as video lights with built-in batteries and the controls are on the back, the back is not flat and has knobs sticking out so a frame has to be made or purchased and you need to be able to get to the back just to switch it on or off.
Neewer is another brand to look at and you could also consider the Kaiser Slimlite Plano range, they are quite expensive but come in different sizes. I think they are much dimmer than both the CS-Lite v1 and the Ralenos as they are viewing panels rather than video lights but they are good quality.
I definitely dont mind the raleno options, and I’ve seen a flat back one too. I just wasn’t sure how they would perform on color negatives.
For the Cinestill, I had seen the version 2 is about two stops darker. I’m guessing this wouldn’t be too big of an issue scanning with a mirrorless camera as I can just bump up the exposure by two stops then?
Yes, longer shutter speed would be Ok provided your camera is well supported.
Also, just looked at the ‘192’. No knobs on the back though there is a display panel which you don’t necessarily have to look at once you’ve chosen WB & Brightness, especially if you use it plugged into a USB power supply so battery status isn’t an issue. The on/off switch and the dials for brightness and WB are on the side of the raised area on the back so potentially easier to access, though still a bit fiddly. Just needs a basic frame with a cut-out in the right place.
Kaiser Slimlite Plano ( "slimlite plano" LED light box 22 x 16 cm ) does well with C-41 negatives and the surface dimensions exceed your 4x5 inch negatives.
I just built out a very nice panel utilizing a Godox P260C Pro bi-color LED panel for scanning 4x5 negs. The panel is largish and edge-lit, so the center 4x5 portion of the panel is exceptionally uniform. It boasts a CRI of 98, and has massive output at 45w. As with other video light panels, you would need to build a frame for it, but the beautiful thing about it is that you can control the light with the Godox app from your phone. So far, I am absolutely loving this panel. It is on the large size, so if you are tight on space or have a small baseboard on your copy stand, it might not be appropriate. Here’s some pics of the one I built out.
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